GAO Issues VIS

The General Accounting Office (GAO) issued its report entitled Coast Guard: Vessel Identification System Development Needs to Be Reassessed. The Vessel Identification System (VIS) was intended to provide ensure that each vessel operating in the United States had a unique identification number. The program, which focuses primarily on recreational vessels, depended heavily on state participation, but many states have been unwilling or unable to commit necessary funds. The report notes that the Coast Guard has declined to adopt a rigorous acquisition process for this program. Source: HK Law